Power and passion as hormones drove elephant to attack zookeeper

A SPIKE in testosterone and two female elephants on heat are the likely reasons a baby elephant pinned its trainer against a pole, says Taronga Zoo.

The findings of an investigation into the elephant attack that crushed zookeeper Lucy Melo nearly to death in October were made public on Tuesday.

The zoo's acting general manager of research and conservation, Rebecca Spindler, said the zoo, the trainer and the elephant calf Pathi Harn were not to blame.

''We've confirmed two of our female elephants were coming into estrus at roughly the same time,'' Dr Spindler said. ''More surprising is that when we examined Pathi Harn's testosterone, he went through a spike in testosterone that day that was higher than any of our males, including our adult male.''

Dr Spindler said the two-year-old calf had developed at a faster rate than most baby elephants.

''Pathi Harn, we now know, is a very unusual elephant,'' she said. ''He's developed much more quickly than anyone could have expected.

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''It's entirely possible this spike in testosterone contributed to the sudden changes in behaviour we saw that day.''

She said it seemed Pathi Harn had no ill will towards his trainer. ''We're not sure if the two females and the spike in testosterone caused him to act that way, but it was out of the ordinary for Pathi Harn and even for elephants his age to have those levels of testosterone.''

Most elephants do not display any indications of testosterone until they are four, she said.

Tuesday also marks Ms Melo's return to the zoo full-time. She spent 12 days in hospital after she was pinned to a bollard by Pathi Harn, formerly known as Mr Shuffles, during a routine training exercise. Ms Melo was conscious when paramedics arrived, but lapsed into unconsciousness and had a cardiac arrest for about five minutes.

After a spell of convalescence at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Ms Melo was given the all clear to return home.

While recovering in hospital, she suggested the zoo's review include a blood test examining Pathi Harn's testosterone.

Dr Spindler said the zoo had used Ms Melo's advice and experience with elephants to try to understand what happened.

''We're a mixed family. The keepers and the elephants interact extraordinarily closely,'' she said.

''All the elephants greeted Lucy when she came back.

''The elephants moved up towards her with low rumbles, and greeted her very warmly.'' The zoo said it would implement additional safety measures to account for Pathi Harn's hyperactivity.

''We've never seen the like of this before,'' Dr Spindler said.

''I can liken the early changes in behaviour in Pathi Harn as a little bit like your toddler getting up and showing the first signs of walking. So you 'baby-proof' the exhibit, which is what we started doing after it happened.''